Card-index.



PATENTED MAR; 13, 1906. G. lA. WHEELER.

fQARD INDBX. APPLIOATIO'N FILED unflmsos.

2 SHEETS-#SHEET '1.

eEoRenA'. WHEELER,

i a citizen of the United States, residing in the .borough of Brooklyn, cit of New York, 1n

y Another object of the invention is to p ro-i vide an improved form of means for securing the follower in anumber of .adjustedl posimeans whereby the cards can be'. tilted on a Afulcrum rlocated in-proximity to the bottm thereof, which 4means are comprehend ed v.in

' the'specific constructionorl conguration of @thev cards." 'In the present invention the i ing shown as having thefusu'alrectangular method of use of the c'ards." Fig. 2 is ajplan shows a modified form of card. Fig//is a ollowing a'speciiication. y 4 This invention relates to card-indexes, andiplanes of their faces is constituted by the con- In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specifica-tion, `illustrating .and casing, the lat-ter being ./showna's supplate. Fig.'6 is avr vertical section throng .modification 1Q. is,VA another"4 mod` c a-l;

.PATENT oFFicE.

' or'NE'w lYORK, N. Y.

GARD-INDEX...

To all' whom it may concern:

'Be it known thatI, GEORGE A. WHEELER,

thecounty.- of Kings and tate of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in @ard-Indexes, of which the has for one object ,to provide an im roved means whereby the cards can bev tilte in the planes of their faces to cause succeeding edges toproject "slightly, thereby facilitating the `turning'over oi the cards onev by one, the frictions.

In'an application of mine, led'September 23,1902, Serial No. 124,573,jis set forth means whereby thev cards canbe tilted in the struction of the bottom of the casing. upon which the cards aresupported, the cards beforrn with astraight bottoniledg'e.

one embodimentof my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device,l showing one view of the same with the cards removed. Fig. y3 1s a vertical sectional viewof the cards ported in a cabinetarranged to contain a numberv of suchfcasings or drawers. F1

front elevation .of a portion lof theflockinff' the locking means. Fig. 7 is a View of one form of thefollower vice.

Fig. 7'.

erspective Fig. 8 is a detailof the 'parts' shown in Fig.j=9 is a verticalsection throu ha 'i Specification of LettersoPateonlt. Application-Simian16,1906. serai N01 255,706.

ocking def tion, in which the casing is constructed fof sheet material. of the follower-locking means. Fig. 12 shows the locking-collar, and Fig. 13 vshows bers.

Fig. 11 shows another form 1 Patented Maren is, i906.

t The casingor drawer 12, except in Fig. 1 0, i.

1s shown as made "of suitable material, such as wood or iiber. The lcasing is shown as comprisiny a front member 13, a rear mem# ber 14,'side members 15 and 16, and a-bot `tom ymember 17,- all'of which may be secured together in anysuitable manner.

The cards for the casing' may be of the usual rectangular'form, as shown'in the iigures, excepting in Fig. 4; but the registering i' apertures, which it is to be remembered are (not necessary oressential to thesatisfactory and efficient operation. ofv the devicef are shown as located to one side of the middle' of the card, for reasonsv which will hereinafter y To provide foi-the tiltingof such rectangularcards, orcards having a rectilinear bottom edge, a suitable fulcrum, or a series of such, constituting a e, i arranged at the rocked in the planes .oftheir faces. 3 such fulcrum or ridge is shown as formed by having the bottom 17 substantially flat from 'l bottom of thebx, onw" ch the cards can bey In Fig.

one edge to'a portion beyond the middle and the bottom' inclined downwardlyin a .plane 19 from the ridge tothe side edge. Thus are formed two. planes whose 'intersection constitutes a ridge 2O running longitudinally of .tilt the cards such a casing or box, it is only necessary top apply 1pressure at the top of the card, as 'shown in ig. 1 when the card will be tilted in proportion tothe mannery ofsuch the boxand parallel with the sidewalls. Td j operation; By so inclining thetilting surface or the finger the cards 'can be unequally tilted, asindicatedin Figs. l and 3, whereb 4at the ',rightehandedge, it will' be 'ob'served veach/card ha'sthe ad l.acent card infront of it v'plr/'ojected'a short distancebeyondit. By

is means, such eiges ofl'thel cardslcanbe separate y '1 engage f by mere y app yin@rv a slight pressure of.' the finger, and thus Cthe. ,cards are readily drawn forward one at a time to expose' the reading matter on the face of the succeeding card.

It will be further observedrom Fig. lgthat v cards intermedi-` ate 'of'..a series ofthem can be tilted and will individual cardsor a set ofremainA in suchitilted. position by reason'off 6c `one'end of one of the follower-locking mem' not the friction between their faces and that of joining cards they will return to their normal upright position by gravity, .because of thctiltiug ridge or a )ex being located to one side of the middle o' their bottom edge, and therefore outside of their line of gravity.

In order to permit such tilting of the card, the wall 2]. of the side 16 adjacent such inclined portion maybe offset or removed to permit 'the advancement of the card in such direction. ln thev drawings such wall is shown as inclined to the edge ol' the card when in normal position and may bemade substantially perpendicular with the inclined portion 19 of the bottom. Therefore upon the card being tilted through its range of movement when the bottom of' the card engages the inclined face 19 the adjacent side edge of the card will engage the inclined side wall 21. This inclined Wallis so located that when the card is in the' normal position shown in Fig, 3 its corner will be in very close proie imity 'to such wall and with the vertical edge of the card engaging the ,vertical side Wall of the casing. llence when the cards are laced in the receptacle they` will engage t is inclined wall and be guided into position engaging the vertical Wall, and they Will be retained in such'position except 'when tilted.

T"Vith. the construction set forth in Fig. 3 the use of registering apertures in the middle of the card near the bottom and a lockingrod 25, located therein, would be somewhat objectionable in' that suioient tilting of the card would be interfered with. Consequently the cards can have registering perforations arranged, preferably, in proximity to the bottom edge of the card where engaging the ridge 20. By this arrangement a very small clearance lxetween the rod and. the apertures will permit 4he free tilting of the card, yet the card will be locked in tl'iecasinff. While in the abovedescribed construction the inclined ortion of the bottom is located at the left si e of the box, which will 'produce the desired projecting @edges of the cards on the right-hand side, afmerc reversal of such arrangement with the` inclined portion lo cated on the right-hand side would give identirall y the same results, except that the projecting side edges of the cards which recede rearusrdly would be now disposed to the lef thand side andthe cards would be manipulated bythe left hand instead of the right, as in the former case. In Fig. 9 both of such constructions are embodied in one device,`

whereby the cards can be tilted toeither si de.'

'llo produce the left-hand form of device just described, the box would. be arranged as shown in Fig, il, but with the inclined portion at the left -hand omit-ted. ln the double form shown in Fig. 9 the side yl5 has its inner Wall 23 inclined and extending right an sies?? @les to the inclined bottom portion 24'.

esirable to omit the locking-rod in such con struction. y

The means for locking the rod 2.3 herein sot forth compr'se a head or turning member 2G, permanently secured to the extremity of the rod by any suitable means, such as having the threaded end of the rod secured in a threaded bore 147 in the head. T he latter is preferably milled to facilitato its rotation by the fingers. The rod and head carry two locking and gri ping members that upon the rotation of the iead are brought into ougagoment with o posite sides or faces of the front member of t e casing, but preferably engage a locking-plate 2S, secured by screws or other means to the front member. The locking plate has an aperture 29 to permit the insertion of the rod 25, and at each side-of the aperture is an opening or slotted .portion 30. The front member 13 has a borel. register- .ing with the openings inv the front plate and of a diameter greater than the widest portion ofthe opening in the plate. The head lo has a bore 32 in its inner face threaded to engage the external thresds of a collar This collar has its'bore 34 of a size to pass freely over the rod 25 when rotated with relation to the head, which motion will move its outerfueo in and out with relation to the adjacent armular face of the head. rl`his face of the' collar that is arranged to engage the outer face of the locking-plate 28 is provided with two detents or projections 36, that can be brought to register with and movedv into the opposite o enmgs or slots 30 in the plate on eac i side ,of the aperture 29. A suitable abutment member is secured. to the locking-rod and is shown as a locking-pin 37, passed through the rod and secured 1n such position. This pin 37 is of a size to pass readily through the said openings 3() in tne locking-plate when the pin is inserted.y ln its idle position the collar seats on the end of the bore 32 in tho head with its clam ingdace llush with the annular face of the lead with the detents in alinement with the locking-pin- The operation of these locking parts is :is follows: When the rod is inserted in the aperture, it is turned so that the pin 37 aud the alining detente 3G enter the side openings Ilo. Then the head is pushed inwardly until the inner of the collar is approximately in engagement with the outer face of the lockingqiiate. At this positionit will be observed 'from Fig. (i the locking-pin has passed through the plate, and upon being turned from its registering position it will engage the in'ner face of the plate between said openings and. prevent its removal until again brought to such registering position. 'lo move th(` locking-pin from such registering position lo a positionto best engage the claro will reouiro a rotation of thel rod and head through approximately ninety degrees; but during 'izb " ward, andthese two `clamping men'ibers theV pin and' collarwill be given a movement toward each .otherthat at the end;` ofsuch such rotation, since the lugs on the' collar prevent rotation of the latter, the turning of the l. rmd will cause the collar to advance or screw .in one direction, which by the 'roper rotation `of the head with relation to t e direction of the thread will cause kthe collar, to'advancei l toward and engage the outer face of the lockthe ead will be right-handed or clockwise, to

lock it the collar has a left-handed thread in',

` orderth'at alright-handed movement of the head will advance thecollartowardthe plate.

The position of Lthe loekin r-pin and the posif i tion ofthe outer face of th e collar are so arranged relative to\ the thickness of the enigagingplate that during such rotation the collar will be. screwed out of tlie'headand against,l the plate and by its reaction will force the head away from the plate. Hence 'the rod carrying thepin n'iust travelfoutmovementlwill tightly clamp thel ylockingyplate betweentheni and -lock therod against on itudinal movement. v

o release the rod,it is merely nesessary to turn the headbackward or anticlockwise 'through the distance it moved forward, which will not only "bring the stop-pin to its former registering position with the.slot te'd portion of the opening in thelocking-plate, but will cause the collar to screw into the head, 'thus Vseparating the pin. and locking-face of" the co lar from each other andA from the 'lockingin the present invention is shown as having a locking part41 provided with suitable projections 42, extendingin opposite directions. V'lhe part'41 is conveniently secured toI the lower edge .of` the'fol- -lower'vby screws or other means.v 'To coperate with such'projections,` the bottoni oi the casing liasa suitable channel 43, preferably of the channel arepreferalily lared slight] arrangedalong the middle. The side walls andare provided with suitable ridges er corrugations arranged to be engaged by the projections 42 oii the follower. (lne method of forming such corrugations is to provide corrugated strips 44 and secure them to such opposite walls of the channel, preferably by maku i o r other suitable. means;

the channelshaped part. "-The projections mayextendthrouffhout the length ofl'the nieniber41or may lbe located only at vits end portions, as shownT yTo `prevent dislodgingI ing-plate. Since the natural movement of ofthe follower from its position in which it is retained by the projections engaging the cor- -rugations, the latter-are preferably.'slightly inclined to the perpendicular from the base. and incline forward, whereby lateral pres-s sure upon thefollower would tend to'move therojections downward rather than up war( and securely hold them in adjusted positions. v

In Fig. 1()- is shown-a box or casing con-4 structed from sheetmaterial .or sheet metal,

the inner walls of which are ,substantially` similar to those shown in Fig. 3. In suoliA construction the `channel for the followerad-A justinent is formed by properly bending the bottom of the box downward. With this' forni of box the corrugated portion of the Achannel niayibe formed out of a, channelshapedstrip 45,--wliose opposite side/spare ridged or corrugated to engage with the pro- In 5 jectionsl 42, carried by the follower. forming such 'corrugations-4 on the strip 45'it will be observedthat a seginent-opening46 is formed in the stock adjacenteach corrugation bythe shearing and bending out of the stock. This strip is seeuredin the channel in the sheet-metal bottoni'by rivets or other i suitable means. v

Where, there are a, number ofeasings. or drawers arranged iii'a suitable,(raliiiiet,` the' cabinet 48 is preferably provided -witli cleats 47, upon ywhich the drawers slide, andin order to permit of the drawers .being inserted in the cabinet while the cards are in a tilted 'position those cleats adjacent to the inclined edgesof the cards are prei erably made partly l 1 oro of nmetal plates 5l iii-order to providethel necessary clearance.V .lhc intermediate res- `cessed portion will prevent the edges or eor- Iners of such cards aspnaybe tilted from strik- 165 ing the adjacent side wall of the cabinet, and 1 from their adjusted positions. q-

therebyiiijuring thc cards or dislodging them.

Instead of having the sideoltlie cleat reeessed the cards can have a, portion of the side. removed, as shown in Fig. 4, forming an Iinclinedportion 5l), that is substantially ver-Q tieallwlien the eiird is tilted.

claim,-

l1. A easing for a card-index device having a portion ol the casing-thi'rt 4normally siipllaviiig thus described my invention, I fi' ports the cards in upright position provided 'j with means whereby the cards can" be tilted in the planes of tlieiriaics from such position.-

, 2. A casing for a card-index device having a portion of the bottoni that nornially sup-y ports the' card in upright )osition, formed with a' iiilci-i'ini on. which t ecards can be tilted in Atheplanes of their faces'froin such i Vposition.'l 1

casing for a Acard-index device having a portion of the bottom that normally supports lthecard in. upright position,.formed with a fulcrum on whichvthe cardscanbe izo tilted in the planes of their faces from such osition, one of the sidesot' the casing being inclined to engage the side edge ofthe cards when in such tilted position.

e. A casing for a card-index device having its bottoni portion that supports thc cards formed with two lane portions meeting at ari angle constituting a ridge extending par allel with the sides of the casing. n 5. A casing 'for a cad-index devicehaving a portion ot the bottom that normally supports the cards in upright position, formed with a fulcruin located to one side of the middle o the bottom edge or the cards, on which the cards can be tilted in the'planes offtheir faces from such upright position.

6. A casingfor a cardindex device'having aportion ot the bottom that normally supports the cards in upright position, formed with a iulcrum located to one side of the iniddleof the bottom edge of the cards on which therards can 'be tilted in the planes of their faces 'from such upright position, and a locking-rod in the casing disposed` in alinement with such. fnlciiini portion.

7. A casing for a cardeindex device having a portion of the base inclined downward to forni a ridge upon which the cards can be tilted in the planes oit their faces from their normal upright position. S. A casing for a card-index device having a portion et the base` inclined downward to forni a ridge upon wlch the cards can be tilted in the planes of their 'faces from their normal upright osition, the side oi" the cas- Ying adjacent suc i inelined'portion of the bottom being disposed siil'istantially at a right angle to suoli portion,

9. A casing 'for a 'card-index device having 4.o at the bottoni an inclined portion extending along one side. and forminga ridge with the base that is disposed to one side ot the nuddle of the bottoni edge of the card, iifherebr the cards can be tilted in the planes oi their.

faces vfrom their normal upright position', and when released from such positions will gravitate to their normal upright position,

10. A casing for a card-index device having a portion of the bottointhat normally sup ports the cards in uprightposition, formed p with a iiilcruni on which the cards can be tilted to a position in which the side edge adjacent' one end of each card will project la short distance beyond the succeeding card.

l1, A casing for a card-index device having the bott-opi of the casing that normally sup i ports the cards in upright position, inclined from its inteiniciliate portions downwardlyv to each side edge, whereby the cards can be 6o tilted to each side `from their normal upright position.V

12.` In ecard-index device, the combination ofa casing having a portion oi the bottoni that normally supports the cards in upright position, formed with a fiilcruin located to one side of the middle oi the bottoni edge of cards haring perforatioiis disposed to engage such lockingrod.

13. The combination of a casmnr member having an aperture thereii'i, a rod located in the aperture of the casinfr a head secured to' the end of the rod, and clamping means carried by said members arranged to be operated b the rotation of the head to grip opposite 'aces on the casing member.

14. The combination of al casing having an aperture therein, a rod located in said aperture, a h'cad secured on the end of the rod, a clamping member carried by thc rod, a clampingV member connected with the head wliereby the rotation of the head will cause theI clamping members to grip opposite faces on the casing.

' 15. rlhe combination of a casing .member having an aperture therein, a rod extending through lthe aperture ol' the member, a head secured on the rod, a collar having a screwtlireaded engagement with the h'ead and rotatable on tiie rod, an abutment fast on the rod and arranved to engage an inner face on the. casing, and a detent carried by the collar and arranged to engage the casing member to prevent rotation of the collar, whereby upon rotation el the head the collar will be ad* vanced relative to the head and engage an outerAfacc on the casing member and clamp the member between the collar and said abutnient, and lock the rod.

16. The combination of a casing member having an aperture therein, a rod extending through such aperture, ahead secured on the rod and provided with a threaded bore, a collar engaging the threaded bore of the head and freely rotatable on the rod, an abutmentk pin secured to the rod and arranged to engage an inner lace on said casing member, said aperture being oblong to permit the insertion ol' the rod and abutmentmpin, and detente c'ar ried by said eolh and arranged to engage the walls of said oblong aperture'to prevent rotation of said collar, whereby upon rotation ol the head the collar will be advanced to engage an ouieil face on the casing and claniprthe member between it and said abut ment-inn.

17. rllhe combiiuition of a easing member having au aperture therein, a rod locaterl in said aperture, a head secured on the end oi the rody and provided with a threaded bore, a threaded collar rotatable on the rod and engaging` the threaded bore oi the head, an abutmcntqiin secured to the rod and arranged to engage an inner face on said casing nicmber, said aperture being oblong to permit the insertion of the rod and abutmciit-pin, and detents ilirojecting from the face of said collar and arranged to enter said oblong aperture IOO l :814,817 J- u Y i V vand permit that face -to engage the outer face of'said member and also to prevent rotation.

` 4of saidY collar, whereby u on rotation ofthe `head the collar .will be a van'ced and clamp ff the casing member betweenit and said abutment-pin.

*j 18. The combinationof'l-a leasing" member 'having an'oblong aperturetherein, a rod located in saidaperture, a head on the end o f thel rod, a stop-pinseoured on the rod and adaptedy toy pass through-said oblong aperture rln-theoasing member, and elampingfmeans carried bythe'rod whereby the rotation'o'f e vthe rod to movejthe stop-pin fromregistering .1.5 .with the aperture. to a position engavingfthe inner` fece of the casing member 'wil-cause the casing member to be clamped between y .such means'and thestop-pi-n@ -I L 19. Ina vcard-index device,- a casingf'pro# `zo vided with a follower, the bottomlof the 'cas ing having one or more upright members proe rvid ed with ridges extending transverse tothe bottom, the fo lower being provided with oneor more ridge portions `arranged to engage 25 said ridge portions and support the follower" v. in adjusted'positions'. .i

2:0. In a cs'ird-ndexv device, a casing pro-f 4 vided 4with a follower,the bottoml of the eas#V ing having a pair of parallel upright: nien1. 30 bers provided with nd'gesextendlng 'trans.A

Q verse to the bottom. and projeeting toward eaeh other, the followerbeing provided with one or morepairs of oppositelyextending 4 ridge portions' arranged to engage said ridge 3,5 portions and support the follower in adjustedpositions. V j -l v 21. Inacard-mdex dev1ee,acas1n having 4`'a channel extendingl longitudinally a ongthe I' j bottom,l a corrugated strip-located in'eachofv4.0 the opposite sidewalls of the channel, anda 'follower provided with a'-plu ralty of oppo` sitely-extendingprojections arranged lto fit into such/corrugations and support the fol"- lower in adjusted positions.

. 22. Ina gard-index,- a easing having a.45` i 'channel-shaped member. longitudinally disposed at itsbottom, the opposite sidewalls of y the member being Corrugated substantially transverse tothe bottom7 anda follower proi vided with'projections extending in opposite 5ol directions and arranged to engage with the corrugated portions of the channel member andsupport the follower in adjusted pos'itions.

with a channelshaped,l member longitudi# nally-disposed at itsbottpm, the opposite side Walls of the casing having corrugations 1' 'extending substantially. transverse to the bo'ttom', the lfollower having an. engaging memfo bersecured thereto, said member comprising an i'nverted-channel-shaped body having its V .edgesfbent/ laterallyv 'in oppositedireotions and provided with projections arranged .to

4engage with the corrugated side walls of the lsaid channel member and -supportthe follower t in adjusted positions. i

' 24. In 'ecard-index device, acasing prolvided,` with 'a follower, the easing havin -a .pair of parallel upright members .provided 7o withridges extending transverse to lthe bottom' an projecting toward eaeh other, the

ridges also being inclined forward, theI fol- 1 lower being providedl with one or more j pairs ofVoppositely-extendingridge portions 75 arranged to englage'fsa'id ridge ortionsjand f 'supp "rt the follower in adjusts positions.

28. ln oardfndVeX, -a 'casingprovided' 5 5'- 

